New and Trending Bread Maker Recipes

You probably won’t find these in every bread machine cookbook, but there are some interesting new recipes you should try in your bread machine.

When most of us start to bake bread in a bread machine for the first time, we tend to follow traditional recipes. This often means we start with white bread and sometimes continue to use the same recipe over and over again. We might explore some versions such as a French bread recipe, but the other recipes in our bread machine cookbooks sometimes seem a bit intimidating.

Have no fear. If you follow the directions, use the correct ingredients in carefully measured proportions -you can bake a surprising number of bread variations. You’ll want to see if your bread machine cookbook has a variation on some of the recipes below. If so, just follow their directions. If not, make sure you determine the proper bread cycle setting as indicated in each of the recipes listed here. You’ll also want to see if your bread machine manufacturer has any specific recommendations with regards to how you add ingredients and in what order. This can vary from one manufacturer to the next.

These recipes have been bread machine tested but that doesn’t mean your results won’t vary. Different bread machines are like ovens whether conventional or microwave. If you have mixed results the best thing to do is to adjust the yeast amount or reduce the salt. These are the two critical success factors that affect the most common complaint about bread machine bread: “It failed to rise.”

With that in mind, here are some recipes to broaden your knowledge and experience with your bread machine. The first is for a gluten-free bread. Many people have an allergic reaction to gluten that is common in flours from wheat and some other grains. In fact, bread flour has more gluten than all-purpose flour. This allergy is sometimes referred to as “Celiac” disease. You or someone you know may or may not have this condition, but you might be surprised at the quality and texture of a gluten free bread. Here’s a trending recipe that highlights the concept of a gluten-free recipe.

Gluten-Free White Bread Recipe:

The fundamental concept of gluten-free bread is to substitute wheat or grain flours with flours made from potatoes, soy or rice. But there’s more to it than different flours. Many other ingredients are critical from eggs to honey and Xantham gum to help the yeast thrive and grow. Xantham gum can be found at most grocers, but it can also be ordered on the Internet or found at a health food store. Make sure you measure everything precisely and set the bread machine for the “gluten free” course. It usually adds a knead and rise cycle to ensure a proper rise for the loaf.

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon xanthan gum

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup potato starch

1/2 cup soy flour

2 cups white rice flour

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS:

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order indicated or recommended by the manufacturer. Select the “gluten-free” cycle. Five minutes into the cycle, check the consistency of the dough. Add additional rice flour or liquid if necessary.

When bread is finished, let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Light Oat Bread Recipe:

This next recipe invites you to explore the addition of oats and some of the nuances of baking with all-purpose flour as opposed to bread flour. Here again, a critical success factor is the amount of yeast and salt. This recipe reduces the salt amount and increases the yeast to ensure a good “rise” given the fact that all-purpose flour has less gluten than bread flour. You could also substitute 2 tablespoons of softened butter for the margarine if you like.

Ingredients:

makes 1 -1/2 pound loaf

1 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons margarine

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order recommended by ingredient list or your manufacturer. Use “regular/light” setting.

Whole Wheat Honey Bread Recipe:

If you haven’t experimented with wheat bread yet, you might want to try this recipe. Be forewarned. Some machines can only handle up to 30% whole wheat while others can do up to 100% whole wheat. The key to whole wheat is the bake cycle which kneads and rises twice for many recipes. The addition of honey or sugar plus the powdered milk also helps a whole wheat loaf to rise properly. Whole wheat flour has less gluten than bread flour and all-purpose flour so precise measures are once again very important.

Ingredients:

Original recipe makes 1 – 1 1/2 pound loaf

1 1/8 cups water

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon dry milk powder

1 1/2 tablespoons shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer.

Select Whole Wheat setting, and then press Start.

Portuguese Sweet Bread Recipe:

This bread is nicely sweet and easy to make and bake. Great at breakfast or as a sandwich bread for cold cuts. The setting is critical given the amount of sugar in this recipe. Select either the “sweet bread” setting or the “fruit and nut setting.” These settings cook at a lower temperature for a longer time so the added sugar or sugars present in fruits don’t burn and affect the flavor of the loaf.

Ingredients:

Original recipe makes 1 1/2 pound loaf

1 cup milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons room temperature butter

1/3 cup white sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups bread flour

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

Add ingredients in order suggested by your manufacturer.

Select “sweet bread” setting or the “fruit and nut setting.”

Steakhouse Wheat Bread Recipe:

The ingredient that gives this bread its unique flavor are the instant coffee crystals and the cocoa. I creates a subtle tone to the color of the bread and a robust flavor that’s similar to the breads traditionally served in steak house restaurants. Even though this is a wheat bread the smaller percentage of wheat flour allows for a basic cycle setting such as a white bread setting or whatever your instruction book indicates.

Ingredients:

Original recipe makes 1 loaf

3/4 cup warm water

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 cup bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Directions:

Place the warm water, butter, honey, salt, coffee, cocoa, sugar, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and bread machine yeast in the pan of a bread machine in the order listed. Put on regular or basic cycle with light crust.

Sauerkraut Rye Bread Recipe:

As the name implies, a primary ingredient in this bread is sauerkraut. Make sure you rinse and rain the sauerkraut though. The flavor will still come through but if you don’t rinse it well it could interfere with the yeast growth.

Ingredients:

Original recipe makes 1 – 1 1/2 pound loaf

1 cup sauerkraut – rinsed and drained

3/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 tablespoons molasses

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seed

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup rye flour

2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Basic Bread Cycle; press Start.

Conclusion

There are many more possibilities and variations you can discover. As you continue to experiment you’ll understand how to customize some ingredients and flavors and still have a good rise and an excellent loaf. It’s just a matter of managing the yeast and selecting the right course to ensure that any loaf is kneaded properly and has the chance to rise before baking.

Steve Nubie has been writing professionally for 38 years. He is a Chef and has traveled across Asia and Europe studying language, culture and cuisine. He instructs culinary classes in the Culinary School at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and has written extensively on cuisine, cooking, diet and nutrition. He is a published author of 10 books including a cookbook and continues to write on subjects related to culinary trends.

Hi Shannon, I use a regular, serrated bread knife. Also, When slicing bread with a bread knife, let the knife do the work. Saw back and forth without too much pressure and start your slice towards the back of the bread and work the sawing action towards you.

am getting confused with different flours saying things like use the ‘short cycle’ or ‘normal setting’ when my bread maker has ‘programs’ responding to different recipes within the hand book, (which also don’t have baking times) – any advice would be appreciated